Fuel burning space heater with reflector means



July ll, 1950 w. G. CARTTER 2,514,372

FUEL BURNING sPAcE HEATER' wml REFu-:cToR MEANS Filed Aug. ze, 1949 HUE EWE l?, BEE'HLER, WOR/PEL HERZ/G 8 CALDWELL By A T 7' ORNE YS.

s. sheets-sheet x f July 11, 1950 w. G. CARTTER 2,514,372

FUEL BURNING SPACE HEATER WITH REFLECTOR MEANS Filed Aug. 26, 1949 3 Sheets-SheetZ 75' W/L L /AM G. CARTTER,

/N VE N TOR.

HUE ENE/', BE E HLEP, WORREL, HERZ/G l CALDWELL By AT 7`ORNEK5`.

July 11, 1950 'w. G. CARTTER 2,514,372

FUEL BURNING sPAcE HEATER WITH REELEcToR MEANS Filed Aug. 2e, 1949 s sheets-sheet s f mL/AM c. cRrrE/e,

NVNTOP.

Patented July 11, 1950 FUEL BURNING SPACE HEATER WITH REFLECTOR MEANS William G. Cartter, Monrovia, Calif., assigner to Ailiated Gas Equipment, Inc., Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Delaware Application August 26, 1949, Serial No. 112,548

7 Claims.

This invention relates to space heaters and particularly to a heater for installation in the wall of a room.

An object of the invention is to provide a vertical type vented gas heater delivering heat primarily by radiation and secondarily by convection, mountable within a building wall and without any substantial protrusion into the room, of relatively inexpensive construction, and economical in operation..

A more particular object is to provide a body height heater of the character described whereby heat will radiate and be reflected throughout the strata where heat is most required.

Another object is to provide a high safety factor in a heater of the character described wherein open ame is avoided, and downdrait conditions are provided for. E

Another object of the invention is to provide a new and improved space heater construction employing a special form of heating element comprising an elongated tube with a central partition, the tube having indentations which cooperate with the partition to restrict the passage of products of combustion rising through the tube, thereby capturing the heat more effectively and radiating a high percentage of the heat generated which otherwise would escape through the vent.

Another object is the provision of a panel type heater employing a gas heating element and adapted to fill a cut in a wall between two rooms and supply heat to both rooms. v

Still another object of the invention is-to provide a new and improved space heater wherein a single heating tube may be utilized with more than one reflector, each reflector facing in a different direction so as to throw the heat in corresponding directions into different rooms, and to provide a single control for gas used in the heating element which may be manipulated from different sides of the apparatus. f p

A further object of the invention is to lprovide a new and improved space heater featuring a single gas red heating element disposed so as to supply heat from a common source for dispersion by oppositely directed reiiectors wherein the reectors are so arranged `with relation to theA heating element that unequal quantities of heat may be reiiected in the respective directions which the reflectors face.

vWith these and other objects in view, the invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of the ldevice whereby the objects contemplatedare attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed the hemi-cylinders v meet.

out in the claims and panying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of my heater, said heater havingthe same appearance on the opposite face.

Figure 2 is `a side elevation of the heater shown as installed in a Wall.

Figure 3 is a vertical section of the heater taken on the line 3 3 of Figure 1 and shown as installed in a wall. l

Figure 4 is a diagrammatic plan illustrating a dual valve control for the heater which can be selectively operated from either side of a Wall.

Figure 5 is an enlarged front elevation of thev heater with trim and cover parts removed.

Figure 6 isa cross section taken on the line 6 6 of Figure 3.

Figure 7 is a perspective exploded view of heating element and reflector parts.

Figure 8 is a cross section similar to Figure 6 but `illustrating a diierent form of construction wherein, among other things, the oppositely facing reflectors disperseunequalvolumes of heat.

Figure 9 is a vertical section similar to the lower end portion of Figure 3, but illustrating a different form of burner chamber including a, shelf separating the burner chamber from the reecting chambers.

Figure 1D is a perspective view taken on the line Ill--l 0 of FigureA 9.

This application is a continuation in part of my copending application Serial No. 717,775, led

December 2l, 1946, which was a division of my co-A pending application SerialNo. 549,542, led August 15, 1944 now Patent No. 2,487,775 dated November 8, 1949.

In-Figures 1 to7 are illustrated a form of the device wherein a single heating element 20 serves two rooms on Opposite sides of a wall W by means of .a back-to-back reector 2l. In this case the tube of the heating element and the reflector mayr be economically and satisfactorily made integral, as for example, by forming the tube in two hemi-cylindrical members 22 and extending the tube walls into reflector Wings 23. These Wings may be formed with flanges 24 for securing to vertical side plates 25 with inturned anges 26a of frame moldings 26 inserted between the wing anges and the side plates. The tube sections can be Welded together along the lines 21 where as structural frame members and also for protection for the studding S of the wall. Of course,.

the reflector elements can be made separately and. attached toa unitary heatingtube or be illustrated in the accom- The plates 25 serve'y 3 mounted so that the inner edges are in proximity therewith.

Figure 8 illustrates a single heating element 3D with back-to-back reflectors 3l and 32 affording delivery of a greater amount of heat from one side than from the other, a heater particularly useful: where avk small roomr is ylocated. on`v one side of the wall'Wand a larger room on the other side. The reflectors may be made in sections 33,

as shown, with a distored V crossesection and;v welded at 34 along the heating element` tube",A

although such attachment is. not essential. The. form oi reflector provides fori a)relatively,Y small arc of the tube circumferenceto be exposed= on the side of the reflector 3| and a relatively large arc to be exposed on the side 'oftluereflec'ztorf32j whereby less heat is delivered from the reflectorI 3| and greater heat from: the reflector 32.Y 'Ih'e reflecting area availableton the reflectors will ordinarily' be greater' on` the' side" whereinv the" greater portion of the". tubeisexposed tharrorrY being placed .back-to-backandwelded; alongttheA lines 2T'. The form of the" device there' shown lends itself to a relatively inexpensive. construe*- tion and reduces theV number of parts` to a material extent without'in any'way'detracting from efficient performance of "the device,

In thelform illustrated in Figure 8 much ltheY same principle offinexpensive' construction is followed' as has. been noted in vconnection with Figures 1 to 7; withthe exception that the heating element' may be. separately formed and thereafterv welded to the reflectors. which are made in complementary parts. Obviously, the. relative sizes of the reectors 3|. andi!v may be varied. to a considerable extent so that the heat may be reflected in equal proportions or in proportions wherein but a minor portion isdLstributed` into one room permitting the'rernainder to be` dis'- tributed into a room on the oppositev side. In an' arrangement of the .kind illustrated in Figure, 8 the room areas to lbe heated maybe considerably disproportionate andtheheater 'so designedthat temperatures in. the different.. rooms' are substantially edualized...

The ioregoing,descriptionis taken in substance from my said co-pending applications Serial No:

'717,775 and Serial No. 549g5`42.

In more detail, theheater of this` application comprises the. hollow.4 heating element' 2l`;1pref erably, although'. not'. necessarilyA comprising a tube'. having' oppositev staggered indentations ill44 and 4l .with .straight side 'wal'ls42". and 43;. and a'Y Verticali. internal. baille` 4'4.`. 'Ifhslheating 'element is[preferably` about body height.` Wllether'made according to' thejillustrationslin Figures G or '8,Y itA constitutesan embodimentjo'fthe :device patented, in. Illy, U. S1 P'ate'IltNd. 13991388', granted February, 19;, 1935.. While this'vtyp'e of "tubular heatih'g element is'preferred; thepresent invention is: not'limited to. suchyand may embody otherforms of vertically 'elongated hollow4 heating'l elements' 4 wherein heat from products of combustion is radiated outwardly.

Below the heating element, which is open at the lower end, is a gas burner 45 adaptable for consuming any desired natural, articial or bottled gas. The burner 45 is controlled by the valveffr'orn.agassupply 46".' Apilot' 45a is associatedv with`r the' burner 45".

The burner is located in a burner chamber 41 (Figure 3) or 41 (Figure 9).

ThechambezWffis formed by a cylindrical enclosure 48" secured to the lower end of the heating element by a collar 49. The enclosure 48 is accommodated. in suitable cut-outs 55 in the members 22;. andr is'v supported by cooperating brackets 56 which are secured together as by screws' 5T in clamping engagement with the enclosurefi.. The brackets may be secured to the iia'ng'eson reflector members 22 as by screws 58.

In the form of Figurel, the burner chamber igdened' bydownward extensionsflilof the rehectorelements, closed off at the top by. a shelf 5I provided with an opening 52 receiving. theY heating element, and closedi'oi' at'front andere-ar by removabl'eplates StandV 54.` In allvforms,` the'V burner chamber isv open atthe bottom.

In all forms; at' the upper: end' of' the heating-5'4 element andreflector isf a; shelff 6B., this shelf: close ingA oithe upper end of'reiiector` chambersy 61y and 52. This shelf til has an aperture 59. receivL ing the upperend''offithe heating element. In the form' employing' the' lowerv shelf' 5l; the-latter1 closes oifthe lowerI end of saidfreflectorf chamber;

The upper end ofthe heating element 201 may be. restricted by av cap 65; and'built around andabove the cap is a collector )box anddowndraft assembly.s

This assembly comprises side walls 61 rising rounds th'e collarl. Theside walls''land canopy- 68 may be supported, at least inA part, by horizontal brackets 13 attached tothe side plates 25.

Directly below, and spaced from the lower end?. of the collar 'I0A and above the cap 65, is a spreader` 14, which may be, although not necessarily; a continuation of'the vertical baille 44.

The heating element, reectors, and superstructure-which includes the collector box and down-Y draftA assembly, maybe' supportedA on any suit-- ableAl frame piece, asfor example feet 'lfextendingfdown to floor level from the'sideplates' 25.

The functional parts can be installed in acut through a building wall, and the frame molding' 26 put into place for 'purposes of trim. Upper` louvered face platesv 83 and lower-louvered face plates'l, arepreferablyI utilized to complete the trim, anda protective grill 82l is putinto* placez "I 'n operation ofany form of the heater 'other than with the control shown in Figure 4, assuming that the pilot 45a is burning, valve 35 can be opened from either side by one of thehan'dles 36, and burner 45 will deliver hot gases to the heating tube or element 20. In passing upwardly, thesegases heat the tube. Some of this heat passes by radiation directly into the area to be heated, and some of the heat rays strike the surfaces lof the reflectors and are reflected into the room. Gases passing upwardly throughthe cap 65 vare diverted around the spreader 14 and then enter the outlet collar from whence they are vented to atmosphere. Under downdraft. condition,` the downdraft strikes the cup shaped upper surface of the spreader, and passes laterally out through the louvers of the upper plate 8 0.

The heat emitted is primarily in the Aform of infra-.red rays, dispersed into the area heated over abody height stratum.

Although I khave herein shown and described my invention in what I have conceived to be the most practical and preferred embodiment, it is recognized that departures may be made therefrom within the scope of my inventiomwhich is not to be limited to the details disclosed herein but is to be accorded the full scope of the claims so as to embrace any and all equivalent structures.

For example, the form of fabrication illustrated in Figure 7 may be employed in constructing a heater with equal opposite heat dispersion (Figure 6) or with unequal dispersion (Figure 8). On the other hand, the fabrication illustrated in Figure 8 may be employed in building arheater of equal heat distribution. Nor is the invention limited to either form of fabrication, as the principles explained may be embodied in various modications of construction. The particular superstructure illustrated is not essential, as other gas collecting means, with or without a downdraft assembly (depending on conditions) may be employed. The heating element will operate, although less eciently, without a bailie or indentations. It is desirable, although not essential, to incorporate some form of partial obstruction therein, to impede the upward flow of products of combustion, and thus gain more value from the hot gases passing upwardly. The heating element may be substantially cylindrical, as shown, or have an oblong or rectangular cross section, and may be subdivided if desired, into two or more sections.

Thus the principle could be embodied in a structure havinga wide heating element, single or multiple, so long as the extreme side walls are adapted to be Aconnected to, or lie contiguous to, the inner edges of reflector wings. These wings are preferably either an extension of, or joined to, the heatingelement, but if their inner edges lie contiguous to the heating element, such constitutes an embodiment of the invention.

The frame may vary in detail, the side plates thereof being separate parts, as illustrated, or being fabricated with an adjacently positioned part. For illustration only, and not by way of limitation, the frame shown comprises the side plates 25 and the supporting legs 15. The side plates perform the dual function of retaining the reflector and heating element assembly, and protecting the adjacent wall structure from excessive heat. These plates need not be in a form to offer heat protection, if some other protective element is employed, or if, for any reason, heat protection is not needed.

vHaving described my invention, what I claim as new and 'desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A space heater adapted for installation in an aperture through a building wall to project heat into the spaces on opposite sides of said Wall comprising a frame including side plates adapted to be disposed adjacent the edges of said aperture, a hollow heating element having straight sides and an open lower end mounted intermediate said plates, a fuel burner juxtaposed below said heating element adapted to pass products of combustion upwardly through said heating element to thereby heat said heating element, and` reflector members at ,each side of said heating element, the reiiector members on each side of the heating element extending outwardly from the straight sides of the heating element along a straight line thereon and terminating substantially contiguous to the edges of the adjacent frame plate, whereby heat radiated from said heating element laterally in the direction of the reflector members is reflected outwardly toward the space to be heated.

2. A space heater adapted for installation in a vertical-edged aperture through a building wall to project heat into the spaces on opposite sides of said wall comprising `a frame including side plates adapted to be disposed adjacent the vertical =edges of said aperture, a vertical hollow heating element` having straight sides mounted intermediate said plates, 'a fuel burner juxtaposed below said heating element adapted to pass products of combustion through said heating element to thereby heat said heating element, and a pair of curved reflector members at each side of said heating element oppositely and outwardly facing, thel reflector members on each side of said heating element extending outwardly from the straight sides of the heating element along a straight vertical line thereon and terminating along vertical lines substantially contiguous to the vertical edges of the adjacent frame plate, the reflector members on opposite sides of said heating element joining said heating element in non-diametrical relation, whereby a larger area of said heating element is exposed to the space on one side of said wall than to the space on theother side of said wall, whereby heat radiated from said heating element laterally in the direction of the reflector members is reflected outwardly toward the space to be heated.

3. A space heater adapted for installation in a vertical-edged aperture through a building wall to project heat into the spaces on opposite sides of said wall comprising a frame including side plates adapted to be disposed adjacent the vertical edges ,of saidv aperture, a vertical hollow heating element having substantially straight sides mounted intermediate said plates and aligned with the vertical central portions thereof,A

afuel burnerjuxtaposed below said heating element adapted 'to Ypass products of combustion upwardly through said heating element to thereby heat said heating element, and reflector members at each side of said heating element oppo- Sitely and outwardly facing, the reflector members on each side of the heating element extending outwardly from the straight sides of the heating element along a straight vertical line thereon and terminating along vertical lines substantially contiguous to the vertical edges of the adjacent frame plate, the vertical line of junction of said reflector members and said heating element on opposite sides of said heating element being in a plane non-diametrical with respect to said heatingv element;y whereby heat.- radiated.l fromi said heatingfelement laterally-in the direction of they said'l. plates, a fuel burner'juxtaposed below saidk heatingv element .adapted to pass products of; combustion upwardly through said heatingelement to." thereby heat said heatingelement, and reflector members.A approximately vertically co-extensive with said heatingl element at eachside ofi saidgheat-ingK element oppositely vand outwardly facing; the-reector meinberson each side of thek heating; element' extending outwardly from the straight. sides or" the heating element` along a straight vertical line thereon and terminating along vertical lines substantially contiguous to the; vertical. edges. of the adjacent frame pla-te, wherebyheat radiated from said-heating element laterally in the directionof.thereflector members is reflectedoutwardly toward the space to be heated.

J Aspaceheater adapted for: installationin an aperture through-fa building wall to project heatl into the spaces on opposite sides of saidwall com prisingv a supporting means, a hollow heating element mounted in said supporting means, saidheat-ing element having straight sides, a lower endffhaving an opening therein, and anupper end provided with a discharge port, a fuel burner juxa taposed` below said opening at the lower end. of said heating element adapted to pass products of combustion upwardly through said. heating. element to thereby heatthe latter, reector wings at. each side of said heatingelement, the refIector wings extending outwardly from. the straight sides of the'heating. element along straight. lines thereon and shaped to provide in combination oppositely facing concave reiiectors vertically intersected by said heating element, whereby heat radiated from said heating element laterally in the direction of the reflectors is reflected out- Wardly toward the spaces to be heated, and upper and lower horizontal shelves closing oi the upper and lower end4 regions respectively of said reflectors, said heatingelementextending through both saidshelves, said. burner being below said lower shelf, said shelves. formingv with said reflectors reiiector chambers separated fromtheburner at their lower ends and from the heating element discharge. port at. their, upper. ends.

6'.- A space heater adapted for installation in an aperture through a building wall toproject heat into .the spaces on opposite sides of said wall comprising a. frame including side plates adaptedy to be disposed adjacent the edges of said aperture, a hollow heating element mounted. intermediate said.- plates,. said` heating element. having, straight sides, a-,lower end having an openingtherein, and; an: upper.' end provided with a` discharge p,or,t,a-7 fuel burner juxtaposed below said opening atfthe. lower end of said heating element.adapted,topassri products of combustion upwardlythrough said: heating element to thereby heat the latter, reflec-ft tor wings at each side ofsaid heating element, the reflector wings extending outwardly kfrom .thef straight sides of the heating, element along. straight lines thereon terminating substantiallyi contiguous to the. edges of the adjacent. frame. plate and shaped to provide .iucombination oppor, sitely facing concave reflectors vvertically inter?.

g-sect'ed by said heating. elementrwhereby heat,

radiated, fromsaid heating element laterally 4in the direction of the. reflectors is reiiected. outlwardly towardthe spaces toI be heated, and upper and lower horizontal shelves closing offltheupper.

, and lower end regions respectively of said reflectors, said heating element extending throughv both said shelves, said. burner being below said lower. shelf, said. shelves forming with said reflectors renector chambers separated from the burner atr their lower ends. and from the heating elementi discharge port at theirr upper ends. Y

7. A space' heater adapted for installation inanl' aperture through a building wall to project heat into the spaces on opposite sides of said wall comprising a supporting means, a hollow heating element mounted in said supporting means,v said heating element havingv straight'sides, a lower'. end having an opening therein, and an upper en'd" provided with a discharge port, a fuel burner juxtaposed below said openingk at the lower'end ofv said heating element adapted to pass products of5 combustion upwardly through said heating element to thereby heat the latter, and reflector' wings at each side of said heating element, thel reflector wings extending outwardly from the straight sides of the heating element along straight lines thereon and' shaped to providei in combination oppositely facing concave reflectors vertically interseoted by said'heating element; whereby heat radiated from said heating element laterally in the direction of the reflectors is re-l flected outwardly toward the spaces to be heated- WILLIAM G.' CARTTER..

REFERENCES CITED K The following references are of record in'ith'e file of this patent: Y

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name` Date 1,652,268 Benjamin Dec; 13, 1927 v2,037,861 Lee Apr. 21, 1936 .2,163,928 Andrews 1 June 27,1939

n FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country y Date 436,681 Great Britain Oct. 16, 1935 

